Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) dismantles darknet drug syndicate Team Kalki using cryptocurrency

Key facts

• The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) dismantled a nationwide darknet-based drug trafficking network operating under the name Team Kalki.
• The syndicate utilized the dark web forum Dread and the encrypted messaging application Session to coordinate synthetic drug deliveries across India.
• Seized narcotics included 2,338 LSD blotters, 160 MDMA pills (77.5 grams), 73.6 grams of charas, 3.6 grams of amphetamine, and 3.6 kg of liquid MDMA.
• The network employed a cryptocurrency-based payment system involving unhosted wallets and privacy coins such as Monero and USDT (Tether).
• Funds were routed through intermediary wallets and cold storage accounts, with proceeds laundered through mule Know Your Customer (KYC)-compliant wallets into bank accounts.
• The NCB traced drug consignments to several states including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, and Karnataka.
• The syndicate sourced LSD and MDMA from darknet vendors located in the Netherlands, Poland, and Germany.